


suddenly is sooner than you think

by zozo



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Tag, F/F, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 20:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18534685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zozo/pseuds/zozo
Summary: It's nearly 24 hours before Tilly finally gets back to her quarters.Set immediately after 2x14.





	suddenly is sooner than you think

#### Stardate 999_`+%#//..ERROR..//Calibrating....`

There’s so much to do. The damage _Discovery_ took before entering the wormhole is going to stretch the ship’s self-repair functions to the limit, especially isolated from any spacedock. Half of the ship’s skeleton crew is laid out in sickbay; the other half are nursing scrapes and sprains and superficial burns and struggling through sleep deprivation just trying to keep up.

They’ve been in the future nearly 24 hours by the time Tilly finally gets back to her quarters. Her uniform jacket is gone, discarded and forgotten somewhere, and the dark smudges on her blue undershirt are either soot or someone else’s blood. Michael is in the washroom, splashing water on her face, and Tilly is violently glad to see her.

When Michael turns around and sees Tilly, her face twists with emotion, and she holds her arms out for a hug. Tilly hesitates.

“Michael,” she protests, “I’m sweaty and filthy and you look all fresh and clean and—oof!” Michael’s body slams into Tilly’s with full force. Tilly rocks back on her heels and her arms come up around Michael instinctively. “Hey, hey you, hey. I got you.”

Michael buries her face in Tilly’s neck and takes a long, shuddering breath. She pulls back, hands on Tilly’s shoulders, looking her friend full in the face. “Thank you,” she says, voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for being here. I’m so glad, Tilly—so glad you’re here with me. I couldn’t do this without you.”

Tilly kisses her gently on the forehead. “Where else could I be, Michael?” Michael laughs, or maybe it’s a sob, and Tilly pulls her close for another grimy, sweaty hug.

“Okay,” Tilly says at last. “You get into my bed.”

Michael raises an eyebrow.

“I’m going to take the shower I desperately need, and then I’m going to come back here and cuddle you. If that’s all right.”

Michael’s face is as soft and vulnerable as Tilly has ever seen it. She wants to raid a weapons locker, grab a phaser, and vaporize anyone who’d ever even think of hurting Michael Burnham. Michael nods.

“That sounds perfect,” she says, almost in a whisper. “I’ll be here.”

* * *

A Starfleet-issue single bed is a cozy fit for two grown women, but that’s half the point, Tilly supposes. Michael snuggles into little spoon position, humming contentedly, and Tilly closes her eyes, savoring the warm vitality of the woman in her arms.

“We’re going to find my mom tomorrow,” Michael says softly, and Tilly gives her a squeeze.

“Damn right we are,” she says. “And you’re going to introduce me to the famous Dr. Burnham, because I have, like, a million questions for her.”

Michael laughs. “About the time suit?”

“Sure, that. And I want to know what you were like as a little kid. Besides adorable, I mean, because I know you were adorable.”

“And _that’s_ when I change the subject to theoretical engineering and let the nerd sparks fly.”

They both laugh, and Tilly squeezes her again. For the first time since Airiam, it feels like things might turn out okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [the Dntel song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hd3X3eIkq0) of the same name.
> 
> Come and process the finale with me on Tumblr at [discotreque](https://discotreque.tumblr.com).


End file.
